Boys basketball: New Lex shuts down Sheridan
THORNVILLE — It's only a few games into the season, but this was a win New Lexington wanted badly.
The Panthers' seniors have never beaten rival Sheridan in the regular season.
Head coach Jeremy Duerr made that fact known prior to his team's game against the Generals on Tuesday, digging up as many old headlines as possible from games in that span to show his players.
It was a classic motivational tool, one that worked out handsomely.
The Panthers held Sheridan to just six first-half points and never looked back, leading by as many as 27 in the second half of a 57-34 win in a Muskingum Valley League crossover at Glen Hursey Gymnasium.
"We just told them, 'unless you get paired up with them in the (tournament), this is your last chance to say that you beat these guys,'" Duerr said. "They kind of took that to heart."
Isaiah Stephens had 11 of his game-high 24 points in the first half, as New Lex scored 17 of the first 20 points and took advantage of an ice-cold Sheridan offense that shot 26 percent.
New Lex led 23-6 at halftime and 40-13 entering the fourth — Sheridan had only five field goals in that span. The Generals were 12-of-46 from the field, including 1-of-10 on 3s.
Duerr said the key was "building a wall" against the Generals straight-line drives to the basket. A veteran backcourt led by seniors Reed Coconis and Raine Rodich often struggled in the lane against the Panthers' active hands.
It was something Duerr credited to defensive stopper Bentley Hanson, who stayed in front of the crafty Coconis, one of the district's best all-around players.
"When we're focused and all doing it together, I think we're pretty good, especially when we're not worried about who is scoring," Duerr said.
That was a remark partly aimed in the direction of 6-4 senior Lukas Ratliff, the team's top returning scorer, whose all-around play made a significant impact. He pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds to go with 18 points and a pair of steals, while taking the bulk of the ball-handling duties when Sheridan amped up its defensive pressure in the second half.
"When he plays that all-around game, when he's being that all-around player — and he's not just focused one facet, and lets everything come to him, and is doing the rebounding the facilitating, controlling the tempo with the ball in his hands — the team is so much better," Duerr said.
"In both of our big wins against Sheridan and Warren, he has been that guy," Duerr added. "When he does that, it allows everybody to feel better in their role. When he's only focused on scoring it just kind of puts a wrinkle in what we're trying to do."
It was Ratliff's layup in traffic, which also drew a foul, that turned momentum for good midway through the fourth. Sheridan, behind an 8-0 run fueled by its press, got within 40-26 with 4:34 left, but Ratliff's basket started a run of points on eight straight possessions for New Lex before the starters exited.
The Generals, who also had 13 turnovers, waited far too long to find their offense.
"First quarter we had four shots that went in and out and they scored the next 10 points, and the next thing you know it's 17-3," Sheridan coach Doug Fisher said. "Then we started forcing up shots and it never got any better. New Lex plays really good defense. It's hard to come back on those guys with how patient they are."
Playing its second straight game without senior Reid Packer, its only returning post player from last year's district final squad, Sheridan's five-guard lineup struggled to establish an inside game or defend the interior.
"Even with him we're still not a big team," Fisher said. "We kind of challenged their toughness. I don't think we were playing very physical at all. New Lex was way more physical than we were."
Packer, coming off wisdom teeth removal, hopes to return on Friday for the team's Big School game against Tri-Valley. It starts a stretch of four games in five days for Fisher's squad, which also includes matchups against Newark Catholic and unbeaten Maysville.
The team was outrebounded 31-22 without him.
"If we don't rebound any better than we did against these guys, then we will be in the same boat, because (Tri-Valley) is even bigger than New Lex," Fisher said.
Coconis had 10 points, Rodich nine and Blake Turnes six for Sheridan.
Sheridan won the reserve game, 47-13, behind Brayden Weaver's 12 points, Hunter Adams' 11 and Kory Holden's eight. Paul Stenson's four points led New Lex.
sblackbu@gannett.com; Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: New Lexington boys basketball shuts down Sheridan
